SINGAPORE, Jan 22 — It is good news for Malaysian taxis as they are not subject to pay the new Reciprocal Road Charge (RRC) that will be imposed by Singapore on February 15.

"The RRC is not applicable to foreign-registered taxis,” a spokesperson of the republic’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) was quoted as saying by TODAY on Thursday.

The statement was in response to queries from the portal following concerns from Johor-based taxi drivers that they would have to pay the S$6.40 (RM20) RRC when they enter Singapore.

On Thursday, a Malaysian daily reported that taxi drivers in Johor Baru wanted Singapore to exclude them from paying the newly introduced RRC that would take effect next month.

The report said if the implementation of the RRC mirrored Malaysia’s RC, then they should be excluded, just as Singapore taxis were exempted from paying the RC.

Quoting Johor Baru-Singapore Taxi Terminal chairman Muhamad Najib Abdul Rahman, the report said they were worried about the matter because Singapore had not said anything about exempting them from the RRC.

"We are hoping that since Malaysia has given Singapore taxis an exemption from the RC, the republic will give us similar treatment,” he was quoted as saying.

He said 195 Johor taxis ferrying passengers into Singapore via the Causeway will be affected by the RRC unless excluded.

On January 16, LTA announced that all foreign-registered cars will have to pay the RRC of S$6.40 per entry when they enter Singapore via the Tuas or Woodlands Checkpoint from February 15, 2017.

LTA said the RRC mirrors Malaysia’s RC of RM20 per entry for non-Malaysian registered cars entering Johor, which was implemented on November 1, 2016. — Bernama